Fire/Police Renovation

I just read an article entitled “Countywide vote slated for July 8” in the June 25, 2008, Record Herald And Indianola Tribune. In that article was a quote from a rural resident that read as follows:

Milligan accused Indianola leaders of running a “stealth campaign” that centers on keeping the upcoming election out of the spotlight. “I don’t have a lot of faith in the folks who are running (the election) Milligan said. “Where are the citizen advisory groups on this?”

I feel a strong obligation to set the record straight for all Indianola residents. To say we are running stealth campaign is simply not true. Please observe the following:

· Between Fire Chief Brian Seymour and I, 20 PowerPoint presentations have been given to groups including the Rotary, Lions/Lionesses, Indianola School Board, Kiwanis, Elks and Warren County Historical Society.
· Two focus groups totaling over 30 residents were enlisted to discuss this project and a methods of paying for it
· There is an information video on cable channel 7 that plays every day at 11:00 AM and 8:30 PM. It starting showing on June 2 so by July 8 it will have been on TV nearly 80 times
· There have been 4 articles in the last 2 months in the Record Herald
· There have been 2 articles in the City Update newsletter
· There have been 4 articles in the Weekly Flyer in the last month
· Over 1,000 brochures/flyers have been handed out to citizens
· There will be an open house at the Fire Department on July 1 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM to show residents the conditions under which the Fire Department has to work—Please come out and join us to see for yourself.
· The city’s web page at www.cityofindianola.com has had building renovation information since the first of June

Stealth??? Oh no, quite the contrary. City officials have worked very, very hard to inform Indianola residents about the need for this building renovation and proposed sales tax to pay for it. We are well aware that informed voters make good decisions.

Again, there is an open house at the Fire Station on Ashland Avenue from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on July 1. Please come by and tour the building to better understand why the renovation is needed. Hope to see you there!!

Flooding

Indianola is extremely fortunate that it was, for the most part, built on high ground and is not prone to flooding like other Iowa cities. During the rains last week, the Sewer Department received 5 calls for backups and another 3 for water in basements. While we know there were more individual water-related incidents, it was nothing compared to communities where downtowns are closed or residential areas are inaccessible for days.

Yes, Indianola is a very lucky city and it makes one wonder if Indianola’s original founders thought about high ground, flooding and the risks involved. If that was their motive, then all Indianola citizens owe them a great deal of gratitude for their insight and forethought.

Even though Indianola did not flood, there are some effects. A meeting today with IDOT to discuss the potential improvement to Highway 65/69 south of Highway 92 was postponed due to flooding in southeast Iowa. I will update this blog when the meeting is re-scheduled and more information is available.

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog.

Fire and Police Renovation

Fire Chief Brian Seymour and I have been giving power point presentations on the Fire/Police Improvement project and the reception from all groups has been extremely positive. I am truly surprised at how people find the presentation extremely informative and educational.

If you are interested in seeing the presentation, it is shown on Cable Channel 7 at 11:00 AM and 8:30 PM, Monday thru Sunday. I really urge you to watch the video as it will help you decide how to vote on July 8 at the Warren County Administrative Building (Clinton at Buxton).

The video shows the differences in the proposed sales tax compared to a property tax to fund the project. The differences are enormous and really should be well understood by our citizens. It makes a real difference. For example, the sales tax would only last 10 years compared to 15 years for a property tax. And, the sales tax would cost a family of 4 about $60 annually if they spent $500/month on taxable items. That compares to $123/year for property tax on a home valued at $200,000. As I said, the differences are significant. And, everyone who buys taxable items in Indianola will pay for this important project thru sales tax. The property tax only collects from taxable property in Indianola so it does not include the college, churches or other non-profit entities.

As always, if you have any questions about this project, please feel free to call me at 961-9410 or e-mail me at tzisoff@cityofindianola.com